‘Half of Govt employees in J&K recruited through backdoor’
*After 370 abrogation, Admn now visible to every person in J&K
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 23: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today that Narendra Modi Government is taking defence related decisions with clear headed leadership by taking Armed Forces into confidence which was completely missing during UPA regime.
She was responding to a question at a press conference at Raj Bhawan here on Congress leader and former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari’s book which said the UPA didn’t act against Pakistan after 26/11 terror strikes in India’s commercial capital of Mumbai.
“Decisions of this nature during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s time from 2014 onwards you would see were taken with clear headed leadership by taking Armed Force into confidence—whether it was Pulwama or Balakote,” Sitharaman said in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the end of his two-day visit to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Click here to watch video
Asserting that Narendra Modi Government gave Armed Forces full rights to take appropriate decision at appropriate time, Sitharaman said see how India responded. This was completely missing during UPA time.
Replying to another question about Congress veteran leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks that Modi Government is spending excessively on defence budget, Sitharaman, who has also served as the Defence Minister of the country, wondered whether she should react to such a statement.
“It is important to protect the country. Doesn’t he (Aiyar) understand we need to protect the country. The Defence Ministry during the UPA Government was in hibernation. We are making for them,” she asserted.
Asserting that abrogation of Article 370 was biggest favour to the people for removing obstruction in bringing in transparent, accountable and democratised Government in Jammu and Kashmir, Sitharaman said that Government is now accountable for every one rupee which is used on the ground.
“For that (bringing discipline, fiscal management and financial health of J&K), I would honestly thank the abrogation of Article 370. If that (Article 370) was an obstruction for bringing in a transparent, accountable and democratised Government, we have done ourselves a biggest favour by that abrogation,” Sitharaman said.
She said that within two years after abrogation of Article 370, the entire administration is now visible to every person of J&K to see what is going on here.
“It cannot be a few families. The money of the people should go to the people and it should be a transparent process. That has been achieved in J&K. I have learnt from it during the last two days“, she said.
The Finance Minister was replying a volley of questions about gross indiscipline of fiscal management and ailing economic health, the biggest problems faced by J&K after terrorism due to backdoor appointments, overdrafts, delayed projects, parking of money and corruption during previous Government.
“I think in the last two years (after abrogation of Article 370), the work that has happened is absolutely stunning”, she asserted.
Sitharaman said that the procurements, recruitments and spending of its resources, taxation and employment of resources, whatever be, by the Government, are now available online 24X7.
“The transparent processes in recruitments. Even recruitment to junior most levels has been completely rid of backdoor operations. In a state, where probably more than 5 lakh are Government employees, nearly 2.50 lakh are clearly backdoor people“, she said.
The Union Minister further elaborated that if that is recorded for the last 60 to 70 years, what is happening now — what is connected and what comes from Centre—and how does the Government get it and how is it used, they are available online for you to seek.
“So in terms of bringing transparency in governance, they are accountable for every one rupee which is used on the ground”, she added.
“For this, I would honestly thank the abrogation of Article 370”, she said.
Responding to another question that J&K has recorded 22.2 percent unemployment during the current period than four percent earlier, Sitharaman said that several schemes have been launched by the Government to ensure employment to youth.
The schemes have resulted in youth taken back on their jobs by their employers and fresh recruitments done by new units, she said but added that it was pan India phenomenon.
The Finance Minister said that the pandemic affected Jammu and Kashmir as it affected the entire world.
In reply to another question that the abrogation of Article 370 has hit the economy in Jammu and Kashmir, she said that post abrogation of Article 370, the economy was not affected at all.
“To the contrary, post abrogation of Article 370, there is fervour to complete all pending projects in UT also. Today I was astonished to know that a project started in 1979 is getting completed now”, she said.
She added that post abrogation, not only old projects are getting completed but new activities are taking place at a fast pace. “Today’s activities are far more than those which were never before”.
Asked about the possible increase in GST from 12 to 18 percent, she said that the GST decision is not solely taken by the Central Government but by the GST Council representing all States and UTs. “It is not the responsibility of the Centre only but all the Finance Ministers of the States”, she said.
She said all the money taken away from the banks will be taken back as the Government is actively pursuing the cases of loan defaulters and will not let them go scot-free, particularly those who have fled the country.
She said the Central Government is working in close coordination with the J&K administration to ensure that not only the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) but every Centrally Sponsored Scheme benefits every citizen of the Union Territory.
She said this while addressing a function after launching new schemes and handing over orders to various beneficiaries under the financial inclusion and credit outreach programme here.
Sitharaman said that the Government is generously putting all its resources to make J&K work well in a transparent way.
“Any wrongdoing that has happened in the banks, any loans that have been taken away and not repaid till now, I am sure our system will work in such a way that the wrongdoers and the money…will be brought back,” she added.
The Finance Minister said that is what has been happening in the entire country.
“The Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) of the banks had been a cause for worry when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. In order to bring down the NPAs, a specific ‘4Rs’ strategy of Recognition, Resolution, Recapitalisation and Reforms showed immediate results,” she said.
She said the Government pursued the defaulters who took away the loans and let it become the NPA and did not pay back the taxpayers’ money that is what is in the banks, whether they are in this country or have gone away from India.
The Government ensured that their properties are attached, and through a legal process, sold or auctioned out and that money have been paid back to the banks, she added.
“This shall continue to happen, irrespective of where the NPAs holders are and irrespective of where their accounts were. Every NPA shall be pursued actively and that shall apply to J&K as well,” she said adding “we shall get back all the money taken away from the banks”.
Sitharaman said, “We shall not let go any defaulters (scot-free), particularly those, who have fled the country.”
She said the Government will get the assets back through the courts to give it back to the banks”.
She was replying to a question at the press conference whether the Central Government has seized the assets and properties of two big loan defaulters liquor baron Vijay Malaya and Nirav Modi to get money back to the banks and what has Government done to seek their extradition.
“First of all, every time, Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya (are raked up) – why two names only? There are many more names, you can add, if you want,” she said.
Sitharaman pointed towards NPA during the previous UPA rule and said that in every one of these cases, I say with a certain sense of responsibility that NPA used to happen earlier.
She said money is returning to respective banks through due process in the courts. “It is an ongoing process,” she reiterated.
The Union Finance Minister lauded Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who was also present on the occasion, for the development of the Union Territory in a “speedy, efficient and transparent” manner.
She assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the Centre will work in close coordination with the local administration to ensure that not only the PMDP is implemented but every scheme that is launched is also brought to the Union Territory and benefits every beneficiary who deserved to be served.
“After 2019 (reorganisation of J&K), we have seen the UT of J&K go through a rapid progression. The projects that have been waiting for a long time are getting implemented and sections of the society that have never had the opportunity of receiving any assistance from the government are getting it,” the Finance Minister said.
She said the schemes for the poorer sections that benefited the people across the country from a collective infusion of credit through farmer producer organisations or self-help groups are now seeing the light of the day in J&K.
Seeking the cooperation of the people in facilitating outsiders to set up their units in Jammu and Kashmir, she said a lot of people want to come and set up industry here and take benefit from the industrial package of the Government.
In reply to a separate question about the threat of dharna by the opposition in support of CAA after the success of farmers agitation, Sitharaman said the Government takes calls that are mature and a call that always keeps the nation on top priority.
“Every decision of this Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps the nation on the top,” she said.
Sitharaman inaugurated works pertaining to health, education, urban infrastructure, and disaster management and laid the foundation stones of several projects in Jammu and Srinagar capital cities of the Union Territory.
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